Best Skincare Products for the Perfect Skin

What's the secret to perfect skin? From the moment we were born, we've been desperately trying to restore our skin back to its original conditions: a smooth, spotless surface, complete with no blemishes of any kind. Idealizing this unrealistic skin type has put many of us to shame and has forced ourselves to dive our noses deep into the skincare products sections for a solution to our imperfect skin. While it is important to realize that there is no such thing as "perfect" skin, there are ways to help moisturize, exfoliate, and to protect our ever-aging skin.

Growing up, I've remembered two distinct compliments that were always said to me:

1. "Your eyes are so nice!" and

2. "Oh my god! How is your skin so clear?"

And of course, they all pulled a Janice moment:

To be completely honest, my then-ungrateful self never did anything special for my skin, but I realized the importance of taking care of my skin when eczema started flaring up. And yes, in achieving perfect skin, there exists a combination of both genetics and environmental factors. The only way I could protect my skin was what I could change, in other words, what I choose to use impacts the way my skin feels. Here are some of my favorite products, ranked from 1-7 (1 being the best of the best) that I discovered did wonders for my skin that works for all skin types (I have sensitive skin with a t-zone in oiliness).

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7. Lush Face Masks | Price: Varies ($9.95-$14.95)

For those of you who've never used these face mask, they are a game change. Lush is specific about not testing on animals and it's a vegan and safe brand. Also, everything's organic and hand-made by real people. I personally love the Rosy Cheeks and the Oatifix because it soothes and calms sensitive skin and skin prone to redness, like mine. But for people who need extra exfoliation, you can consider using Do Not Look At Me or other ones as well. They are definitely a must-have for some good facial care. The only downside is that since everything is natural, you need to refrigerate these masks after opening and they do expire. The good thing is that after using 5 pots, you can turn them in and Lush will give you a free mask!

6. Cetaphil Facial Wash | Price: $9.52

This is a dermatologist approved brand and the best thing about it is that it's easily affordable (I once found a bundle at Costco) and it cleanses your face without stripping your face of the natural oils that it produces. In other words, it doesn't dry out your face at all and you won't wake up with even oilier skin after using it the night before. There is also a gentle cleanser which focuses on sensitive skin, like mine and it works wonders.

5. Glow Recipe | Price: $39.00

Glow Recipe is unique in that it has different, fun fruit scented creams that are really fun to use. Not to mention that it also moisturizes really well. My favorite is the banana souflee and I liked it so much that I gave it to my mom for her Christmas gift. And also it might be tempting to wanna eat this, but I'm sure it doesn't taste as good as it smells.

4. Mario Badescu | Price: $12.00

I can easily say that almost every girl has a bottle of the Mario Badescu Rose water. But I recently found the cucumber one (green bottle) which is amazing for day use. It's so easily transportable and I use it for setting spray, damping my blending sponge, and to moisturize before putting on makeup. For the rose water, I like to use it at night when I'm stripped of any makeup and spray a few sprays before putting on some night cream. It's easily a must-have for anyone who uses makeup out there.

3. Skin Fix Barrier + Triple-lipid peptide cream | $50

I personally love Skin Fix because I deal with eczema on a daily basis (I'll make another post about eczema if you can relate). Skin Fix is a brand made specifically by dermatologists and I think it really works to help keep your skin fresh and the peptides you need. Some products might be a little pricier, but other ones are affordable for the average person and it works wonders, especially for people who need specifically formulated products. Whether you have eczema or not, it's especially formulated to keep moisture in your skin for a healthy look.

2. Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream | $68

Drunk Elephant is one of my favorite because it's light and leaves my skin super smooth and clear. It's relatively pricey as well, but here's a tip: if you want to try it, sign up for Sephora's membership and for you birthday you get a few samples of Drunk Elephant for free! I think it's easily one of the best creams I've ever used just because it's so light and moisturizes so well at the same time.

1. Clarins Hydra-Essential Silky Cream | Price: $48.00

Last but not least, the very best skin brand that I've ever used: Clarins. The only downside to Clarins is that some of their products (like really good ones) are really pricey, some even ranging to $100 or more (although they do have the best anti-aging serum). Nevertheless, Clarins is probably the brand that has made my skin silky smooth, from their cleansers to moisturizers. If you want to try Clarins out, I'd recommend trying their "My Clarins" line because it's way less pricey and you still get their amazing formula.

Thank you for reading! If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please do not hesitate to leave a comment below or use the live chat feature on my website!